The Scottish Communities CPR Training Initiative

Brethren, when our Most worshipful Grand Master Mason Brother Alexander Graham Moncrieff spoke at the Grand Lodge Communication in November last year of the need for Freemasons to increase our presence within our local communities, it inspired one of our own Brethren, Tony Stewart of Lodge Inverkip Ardgowan 1425 to see where our energies and resources could be best used. He researched the outcomes of surviving a Cardiac Arrest, outwith the hospital environment.

What he discovered was the catalyst for the initiative which we here in Renfrewshire West, are in the final stages of planning - with trials starting in the very near future. The Scottish Communities CPR Training Initiative will bring Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) training as well as learning the correct use of a Defibrillator into our Daughter Lodges. This Programme, will be available to our Brethren for a token fee and most importantly it will also be available to members of the general public, free of charge. Our hope is that the Programme, fine-tuned during the trials, will thereafter be freely available for distribution.

Why are we supporting this?. Cardiovascular disease remains a leading cause of death and disability in Scotland, and we have one of the highest death rates from coronary heart disease in Western Europe. The West of Scotland (Glasgow Area) has the highest rate of premature (under 75) mortality from cardiovascular disease in the United Kingdom and five of the top 10 worst performing areas on this indicator are here in Scotland.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is an emergency procedure used during cardiac or respiratory arrest that involves chest compressions, to preserve brain function and maintain circulation until spontaneous breathing and heartbeat can be restored. Approximately, less than 1 in 10 people survive an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in the UK. Knowing how to deliver CPR during a cardiac arrest might just save a life and that life could be any one of us.

CPR / Defib use will be taught and demonstrated over a 90 minute hands-on training session.

The CPR and Defib training sessions will be delivered by professional trainers in our Lodges. Our initial goal is for each Lodge to set aside two evenings per year when training sessions can be facilitated, thus accommodating 30 Brethren and significantly, 30 members of the general public, adding potentially 500 more CPR trained people in Renfrewshire West alone.

Certificates of Competence in CPR and AED use will be issued to participants.

The significance of our Lodges taking part in this initiative are predominately the benefits to our communities, the benefits to our Brethren and thirdly the benefits to the reputation of Freemasonry both locally and nationally. There is every likelihood that local newspapers will engage with this initiative and give some much needed positive publicity to Freemasonry.

Bro James G Porter

Provincial Grand Secretary